PLUS SELECTED SCENES FROM NEW WORKS INCLUDING “NUTCRACKER: RATED R,” AND THE NEW MUSICAL

“THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF UNCLE WIGGILY: THE WINDBLOWN VISITORS”

AND MUCH MORE!

“‘Love and courage’ are what a playwright needs to thrive in this field, and ‘love and encourage’ is what Theater for the New City does!” - Crystal Field, Theatre for the New City Executive Artistic Director

Theater for the New City presents LOVE ‘N COURAGE, the 4th annual benefit for Theater for the New City’s Emerging Playwrights Program, it has been announced by Crystal Field, Executive Artistic Director of Theater for the New City. Hosted by playwright and actor Charles Busch, and featuring Elaine Stritch, this year’s benefit takes place at the beautiful National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South), on Monday, February 12, with cocktails beginning at 6:30pm, followed by dinner and performances.

Emcee Charles Busch, writer and star of such plays as THE LADY IN QUESTION, RED SCARE ON SUNSET and VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM and author of the Tony Award-nominated play THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST’S WIFE, will host and sing.

Legendary Tony Award-winner Elaine Stritch will read a selection from a new play. Ms. Stritch is best-known for originating roles on Broadway in COMPANY, SAIL AWAY, GOLDILOCKS, and her Tony Award-winning solo play with music, ELAINE STRITCH AT LIBERTY.

Selected scenes from Theater for the New City’s current season will showcase the works of recently discovered artists, including the sexy ballet company The Love Show, who will perform an excerpt from their show NUTCRACKER: RATED R. The evening will also feature scenes from Laurel Hessing’s new musical THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF UNCLE WIGGILY: THE WINDBLOWN VISITORS with music by Arthur Abrams. LOVE ‘N COURAGE concludes with an open-mic piano bar and sing-a-long accompanied by Mr. Abrams.

Celebrating its 35th year, Theatre for the New City is a long-running bastion for new theatrical works. Often, talented emerging playwrights find themselves competing for funding with more established writers; Theater for the New City’s mission is to offer “love and encouragement” to these struggling artists with its Emerging Playwrights Program, established in 1971. O. Aldon James Jr., head of The National Arts Club, has taken an interest in Theater for the New City’s mission, and the organizations are working together to present this year’s incarnation of LOVE ‘N COURAGE.

“Emerging playwrights are writers of great promise who have yet to fulfill their artistic goals, but whose visions are high,” explains Ms. Field, whose Emerging Playwrights Program takes in fledgling and untried writers, offering a nurturing environment where new authors can flourish, and often realize their first fully produced work at Theater for the New City.The Emerging Playwrights Program represents 60 percent of the nearly 40 new plays produced annually by Theater for the New City, giving playwrights a professional forum in which to experiment and develop as theater artists, and introducing fresh ideas and energy into the mainstream of American playwriting.

Through the Emerging Playwrights Program, up-and-coming writers meet and have access to experienced designers, directors and performers. The emerging playwright is surrounded by dedicated professionals in an atmosphere of high standards and supportive collaboration. Theater for the New City has an open-door policy towards new work — considering plays of any style, genre and political thrust — and reading every script submitted. The company also produces and commissions plays by some of the better-known American playwrights such as Maria Irene Fornes, Rosalyn Drexler, Sam Shepard, Ronald Tavel, Amlin Gray and Harry Kondoleon.

LOVE ‘N COURAGE, the 4th annual benefit for Theater for the New City’s Emerging Playwrights Program will be held at The National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) on Monday, February 12; Cocktails begin at 6:30pm; dinner at 7:00pm, followed by performances at 8:00pm.